


Emotional Scars

by winryofresembool



Series: Edwin Week [2]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: 503 week, EdWin Week, EdWin Week 2019, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Post Promised Day, Scars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-02
Updated: 2019-05-02
Packaged: 2020-02-16 05:57:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18685498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/winryofresembool/pseuds/winryofresembool
Summary: Ed finds out Winry has some emotional scars (post-promised day, soon after the boys' return)





	Emotional Scars

**Author's Note:**

> Winry doesn’t get enough credit for what she’s going through so I decided it would be an interesting topic to explore. 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoy, and please never forget that I really, really love comments!

“Are you really back for good?” Winry asked all of a sudden when she, Ed and Al had finished playing cards in the Rockbells’ living room (they had played for a small amount of money, and Al had ended up winning it all. Whether it was because the other two were a) too happy that his body was back or b) too distracted glancing at other every once in a while or c) simply because Al was a better strategist than the other two, was up in the air). Ed had been stretching lazily, looking like he was ready to go to bed similarly to Al, but his expression got alert when he registered what Winry was asking.

“Huh? I guess it depends on what you mean with ‘for good’,” he answered.

Winry blushed when she realized what her wording had implied. “Uh… not of course forever… I know you can’t do that… We all have our lives to live and all that stuff… but like… you won’t be leaving again next week?”

Ed snorted a bit at Winry’s silliness. “Win, look at us. My right arm is still like a very thin wooden stick. And Al… Al is still learning to eat and sleep like he should. Do you really think we could go somewhere in this condition?”

“I guess not… Hey, you didn’t mention that your arm is bothering you.” Winry’s eyes flashed dangerously. “Let me look at it.”

“Winry, it’s OK, I just have to…” Ed lost all the words he was planning to utter when she took his right hand into hers and started inspecting it, doing small circular motions on his skin.

“How does this feel?” she asked.

“Goo… hey, what the hell are you doing?” Ed screamed when she moved closer to him and snuck her hand under his shirt through the shirt’s neck hole.

“Idiot! Your arm was alchemically attached so no one removed some parts of your old automail! I need to check your shoulder to decide what to do with them!” Winry scolded him, giving him a glare that told Ed to not mess with her, or else.

“Fine! But you could have warned me! And don’t think we are done talking with the other topic!” he growled as her fingers traveled on his shoulder scar, trying to find some bolts or wires sticking from it. The truth was, he was having difficulties talking because she was SO CLOSE and her fingers felt so good on the sensitive skin, surprisingly soft despite working with metals all day, every day.

Al looked at the other two uncomfortably, feeling that he had an unnecessary third feel in the room.

“Uh, guys… I think I’m gonna go to bed now…” he said carefully, getting up from his chair. The other two told him a quick ‘good night’ before giving each other another death glare.

“Okay, so the situation seems to be better I expected,” Winry finally said, getting some space between them. “They seem to have removed most of the metal at the hospital when they were treating you and Al.”

“I could have told you that,” Ed deadpanned.

“Sorry, but as your mechanic I only trust my own evaluation. Anyway, I would still like you to have a proper checkup to see that there isn’t any scrape metal left inside your shoulder. If there’s something wrong with it, you might have to go through another surgery.”

“Well, thanks for the evaluation,” Ed said, already calmer now that there were several meters between them. “Can I finally ask you a question, though?”

“Sure.”

“Why did you ask about us leaving?” He folded his arms over his chest to show her he had no intentions of going anywhere before she had answered.

“That’s not an easy question to answer,” Winry noted simply.

“When have you ever let me get away with your questions?” Ed pointed out. “Win, I want to know.”

“If you think about it… shouldn’t it be quite clear?” Winry said, frustrated with how bad Ed was at reading her emotions.

“Elaborate, please,” Ed insisted.

“You can be so dense sometimes!” Winry exploded suddenly, every bit of frustration and worry wanting to get out of her chest. “How do you think you’d feel if first your parents go to help people in the middle of the war only for you to find out they both have died? And then you almost lose your best friends too, and one day one of them announces he’s gonna be a dog of military, and they leave for years, never bothering to write or call! We didn’t even know if you were alive anymore! And… then I found out that you had to stop this Father person – or whatever – from destroying the whole world, and there was a very good chance that you were going to fail and… and… I would never get to tell you I lo…”

“What?!” Ed’s face was like a tomato when he realized what Winry had almost said.

“I can’t say it aloud, Ed, not right now,” Winry said quietly. “This… isn’t the right time. I mean, look at us! We’re fighting! I look like a mess! I don’t want any pity points; I just want that…”

“Yeah?”

“That you’d stay here.” She started sobbing uncontrollably, hiding her face into a sofa cushion.

Ed quickly jumped forward and impulsively wrapped his arms around her.

“’S OK. We’re not going anywhere. I promise.” He rubbed her back soothingly. “Sorry, I never realized how big scars you are wearing because of us… And look at this, I made you cry again even though I promised…”

Winry didn’t say anything for a while. She simply drew comfort from his warmth, eventually calming down.

“Dummy. Thanks. For coming back. And staying.” She finally said.

“It’s good to be back,” Ed murmured into her hair as her hold of him tightened.


End file.
